York City 2, Lincoln City 1

Weather: cold and wet

Christmas has certainly come early to Bootham Crescent.

Last night York City received the perfect present - a gift-wrapped winner to end a dismal run stretching back to the first Saturday in October at Blackpool.

That was the last time the Minstermen had that winning feeling, and the relief was clear to see on the faces of the players and manager Alan Little as bottom club Lincoln City were disposed of with relative ease.

What poor Lincoln centre back Steve Holmes was thinking when he directed Barry Jones' cross past his own 'keeper only he will ever know.

But City really didn't care. It was enough to condemn the Red Imps to their 14th defeat of the season and was justice for a fine City performance in the pressure cooker atmosphere of a must-win situation.

Despite the crippling injury crisis which has rocked the club, the City line-up was still an experienced one and there would have been no excuse for anything other than a victory.

The players responded in style, and with right back Jones and left back Martin Garratt in sparkling form down the flanks, and Scott Jordan and Mark Tinkler controlling midfield, there were enough chances to win the match three times over.

Perhaps not surprisingly for a midweek fixture on a cold night between two struggling sides, the fans did not turn out in force - in fact just 2,075, the lowest of the season, witnessed this rare success.

But at least the match did get played this time. Rearranged from October when a waterlogged pitch forced its postponement, it was nearly a case of deja vue. Heavy rain forced an afternoon pitch inspection, and though it got the go-ahead, the standing water on certain sections of the field did not make for fast flowing football.

It was York who got to grips with it the better, and right from the kick off they showed their superiority against a side which looked every inch relegation candidates.

The visitors changed their system repeatedly in the opening period to try and gain some control and counteract the threat of City's effective three-man strike force.

But they couldn't find the answer, and Neil Tolson's opener after 17 minutes gave City a deserved lead.

Jones delivered a fine cross from the right and Tolson climbed above right back Grant Brown to power a header out of the reach of former Scarborough 'keeper Barry Richardson's left hand.

That should have been the start of a City onslaught. Lincoln's lightweight attack seemed to have little to threaten City's back line while their shaky defence struggled to cope with City's forward surges.

But as has so often has been the case, somehow the Minstermen conspired to put themselves in trouble five minutes later.

There seemed to be little danger when Bobby Mimms came out to collect a Lincoln through ball but he collided with Martin Reed and the ball fell invitingly to striker Tony Battersby who's goalbound shot was blocked at point-blank range by Jones.

As the ball was cleared, a foul on Lincoln midfielder Terry Fleming gave the Red Imps a free kick 25 yards out. Fleming teed the ball up for Holmes to rocket a shot into the top corner which the fingertips of Mimms couldn't prevent flying into the net.

Alan Little's over zealous reaction to a couple of referee Graham Laws' decisions led to a heated exchange of words between the Whitley Bay official and the City boss on the touchline.

But Little was almost smiling again just before the interval when Jordan's angled shot was parried across the goal by Richardson and Rodney Rowe just failed to get a touch with the goal begging.

That left the nerves jangling at half-time and it was a mark of the character of the City players how they responded in the second half.

They went straight back on the offensive and gained reward after four minutes.

Cresswell's back heel - immediately after a similar effort had prompted a call of "less of the fancy stuff" from City chairman Douglas Craig - found Jones on the right and his superb cross evaded a huddle of players in the six yard box before Holmes, facing his own net, headed straight past Richardson in a desperate attempt to clear.

Lincoln never got back into it, and Rowe with a delicate chip then Cresswell could have added to City's lead except for good saves from Richardson.

The result will no doubt lift the players ahead of their next Bootham Crescent encounter, against giants Manchester City. But first there is the little matter of a trip to the south coast.

The last time City won on their travels was against the Tangerines of Blackpool. On Saturday it's the Cherries of Bournemouth. Hopefully this next outing to the seaside will prove just as fruitful.

MATCH NOTES

11min: Jordan had the ball in the net after a good City move but referee had already blown for offside

15min: Cresswell got on the end of Mimms' goalkick but shot just wide form 25 yards

17min: Jones' cross from the right was perfect for Tolson who rose above marker to head into the net. 1-0

20min: Jones blocked a goalbound effort by Battersby at point blank range after a mix-up between Mimms and Reed

22min: Holmes rocketed a 25-yard free kick into the top corner of the net despite Mimms' getting his fingertips to the shot. 1-1

30min: Tolson appealed for a penalty after challenge by Brown but nothing given

38min: Referee Graham Laws had strong words with Alan Little on the touchline after the City boss objected too vigourously to a decision

44min: Jordan's angled shot after Connelly back heel parried across goal by keeper and out of the reach of Rowe

49min: Superb cross by Jones evaded group of players in six-yard box and headed into own net by Holmes as he tried to clear. 2-1

51min: Chip by Rowe produced a fantastic acrobatic save from Richardson to tip it away

61min: Cresswell's long range low shot tipped onto the post and away for a corner by Richardson

TAP & SPILE MAN OF THE MATCH

Martin Garratt

Worked non stop down the left flank. Was strong in defence and showed his class in attack with some aggressive runs and telling passing.

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